After my failure to get a broody hen, I went back to my own way of brooding chicks. It is not to say it would work for you, but it gets them out into the flock ASAP.
In the beginning, like most of you, I set up heat lamps, feed and water in my garage. But I do the nights a little differently. Instead of leaving the lights on all night, I put them into a smaller dog crate with what I call a 'wooly hen" just half a box with wool pompoms glued to it, and covered with a dish towel, (as once or twice I had a chick get tangled in the wool. It is very light weight, and the chicks snuggle underneath it. I shut off the lights and within a minute or two, there is silence. They are asleep. They become situated to the crate much like full grown birds do to a coop.
My chicks were Hatched April 2nd, Sunday was nice, so I took them to an empty smaller pen, in their crate, and left them in the sunshine and fresh air, and a couple of hours later, they were tired. Much like chickens that are let out of a run, they did not go far that day. Easy to round up, and I put them back under the lights for a little while before bed.
Next day, wash repeat, only this time when I got there at 4:00, there was no way to round them up. They were having the time of their lives, jumping up on things, dirt bathing, just being chicks with more space. I waited until almost dark, and they were tucked into the crate all by themselves. I closed it up, and placed it in my coop.
This morning, I put feed and water outside, and let my layers out, locking them out. I set up the dog crate so that when they left the crate, they were in safety zone, with food and water. The bottom of the wire panel, (an old crib spring) has the bottom edge lifted up. I placed a pallet piece in front of it, and there is gaps on both sides. The chicks can run through it like water.
When I got home tonight, I let the layers in. I sat down there for 2 hours. There was basically no problems at all. I think the layers think they are junco's, and ignore them. Only once, did Miss Beasley give one a peck who was standing in the feed bowl. The chick chirped and immediately ran to the safety zone, and oh yeah, we have our own food here.
Couple of points. I have a very large run. Most of my layers were raised in a multi-generational flock with chicks often present. However, my new rooster, and pullet have never seen them. Once after the layers were in, a hawk flew nearby, the rooster called an alarm, and even the chicks were still and quiet. Kind of neat to see.
I will go down again, shortly before full dark. Lock the crate and put the crate into the coop. In the morning, I will set it up again next to the safety zone. They are two weeks old, and to me, in a much healthier situation, than when they were in the too small brooder pen. Sometimes in an effort to keep them safe, I think we baby them too much. Todays temperatures were in the high 60s, and it will probably get down to freezing tonight. It should not be any colder in there than in the garage. I am sure they will be fine, they were last night.
In the beginning, like most of you, I set up heat lamps, feed and water in my garage. But I do the nights a little differently. Instead of leaving the lights on all night, I put them into a smaller dog crate with what I call a 'wooly hen" just half a box with wool pompoms glued to it, and covered with a dish towel, (as once or twice I had a chick get tangled in the wool. It is very light weight, and the chicks snuggle underneath it. I shut off the lights and within a minute or two, there is silence. They are asleep. They become situated to the crate much like full grown birds do to a coop.
My chicks were Hatched April 2nd, Sunday was nice, so I took them to an empty smaller pen, in their crate, and left them in the sunshine and fresh air, and a couple of hours later, they were tired. Much like chickens that are let out of a run, they did not go far that day. Easy to round up, and I put them back under the lights for a little while before bed.
Next day, wash repeat, only this time when I got there at 4:00, there was no way to round them up. They were having the time of their lives, jumping up on things, dirt bathing, just being chicks with more space. I waited until almost dark, and they were tucked into the crate all by themselves. I closed it up, and placed it in my coop.
This morning, I put feed and water outside, and let my layers out, locking them out. I set up the dog crate so that when they left the crate, they were in safety zone, with food and water. The bottom of the wire panel, (an old crib spring) has the bottom edge lifted up. I placed a pallet piece in front of it, and there is gaps on both sides. The chicks can run through it like water.
When I got home tonight, I let the layers in. I sat down there for 2 hours. There was basically no problems at all. I think the layers think they are junco's, and ignore them. Only once, did Miss Beasley give one a peck who was standing in the feed bowl. The chick chirped and immediately ran to the safety zone, and oh yeah, we have our own food here.
Couple of points. I have a very large run. Most of my layers were raised in a multi-generational flock with chicks often present. However, my new rooster, and pullet have never seen them. Once after the layers were in, a hawk flew nearby, the rooster called an alarm, and even the chicks were still and quiet. Kind of neat to see.
I will go down again, shortly before full dark. Lock the crate and put the crate into the coop. In the morning, I will set it up again next to the safety zone. They are two weeks old, and to me, in a much healthier situation, than when they were in the too small brooder pen. Sometimes in an effort to keep them safe, I think we baby them too much. Todays temperatures were in the high 60s, and it will probably get down to freezing tonight. It should not be any colder in there than in the garage. I am sure they will be fine, they were last night.
Very educational. Thank you!
With 8 I am thinking we need a huge dog cage to do this.
